A combine harvester (also referred to herein as a “combine”) is a self-propelled machine that harvests grain crops by performing reaping, threshing and winnowing operations in a single process. Combines may be used, for example, to harvest wheat, oats, rye, barley, corn (maize), soybeans, canola and flax (linseed).
Combines are equipped with removable cutting heads, also known as headers or grain platforms, that are designed for use with particular crops. Cutting heads are positioned at the front of the combine and, as the combine travels through a field during a harvesting operation, operate to cut grain stalks and feed the stalks to the combine's threshing system housed within the body of the combine. The grain stalks are then threshed to separate the grain from the chaff, and the grain is collected in a grain holding bin while the chaff is discharged from the combine.
Combines are manufactured in various sizes and configurations to meet the needs of particular geographic locations and operating conditions. Modern combines can be very large and weigh many tons. The cutting head alone, for example, can weigh several tons and be over forty feet wide. Combines typically include large front wheels that bear the weight of the cutting head and provide forward and reverse propulsion. Large combines may include multiple large front wheels on each side of the combine. The combine's rear wheels are typically smaller in size than the front wheels and are used to steer the combine.
The above section provides background information related to the present disclosure which is not necessarily prior art.